Lawyering up on Struggle Street
Lawyers are offering to represent residents portrayed in Struggle Street on a no-win, no-fee basis.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Lawyers are offering to represent residents portrayed in SBS doco series Struggle Street as media report on potential defamation cases.
Daily Telegraph reports Law firms Shine and Gilbert + Tobin have spoken to people portrayed in the show and plan to stop next week’s episode from going to air.
It is understood some participants could also seek damages.
Human rights lawyer George Newhouse said, “Shine lawyers are acting for at least one family group and are seriously considering legal action to either stop the program from going ahead or removing scenes.
“Shine is prepared to act on a no-win, no-fee basis.
“SBS have a duty of care to that vulnerable young woman and I’m really concerned about her safety … there could be consequences if SBS failed in their duty of care to her.”
But Fairfax reports SBS has also hit back at claims of allegations levelled against the production.
SBS chief content officer Helen Kellie issued a letter to Blacktown mayor Stephen Bali claiming, “The serious, defamatory and damaging allegations made regarding the production team asking participants to ‘create scenes’ are absolutely false.
“There is no basis to these allegations and we reserve our rights in relation to any further communication of them.
“We suggest that you obtain legal advice if you wish to continue to repeat such harmful allegations,” it said, concluding: “… while we appreciate that there may be aspects of the series which may not sit comfortably with you, we strongly believe that we have taken all appropriate and reasonable steps to ensure the series fairly and accurately represents the situations that transpired during filming.”
A separate SBS statement said, “SBS and KEO Films are aware of their obligations regarding identification of people who may be entitled to certain legal protections. Careful consideration was given where applicable and appropriate steps were taken where necessary.”
The series drew bumper ratings for SBS with mostly positive comments in social media, despite earlier protests.
Share
- Tagged with Struggle Street
19 Responses
Struggle Street could be an ongoing series. Each episode could look at the problems faced by the residents of different suburbs. We could have an episode set in a North Shore suburb for example and we could see how the locals deal with such situations as which private school to send their children to or which holiday house to use over the summer.
SBS and Struggle Street “stars”, your 15 minutes of fame is almost over…
I can’t decide who is worse: the ambulance chasing lawyers of Shine or the publicity seeking mayor who tried to spin his pre-screening allegations into “hopefully this will help them get help” pandering after it aired.
What a joke.These guys have no hope
Struggle streeters are probably rubbing their hands together with glee with an opportunity to make some fast money!
I doubt the residents are smart enough to think of that.
You reap what you sew. Reality bites.
I’m pretty sure the people featured in this show signed a contract or a release form that has pretty much killed off any potential legal compensation going there way. Shine have probably figured the free publicity will far outweigh the costs to represents these people even if they were to lose.
Contract would not prevent defamation.
I don’t feel sorry for the residents of Struggle Street at all. They allowed themselves to be filmed, bragged about their illegal activities, and generally behaved like the bogans that they truly are in front of the camera. You reap what you sew.
Sorry to be pedantic, it is the second time in this thread it has happened.
It is sow, not sew. You sow seed to reap a harvest.
Apologies.
Wow this is ridiculous… But I’m not surprised, so many people would do anything to get some cash and not have to get a proper job (like go on a show like this for one!)
Unfortunately these no win no fee lawyers will try to sue anybody they can, so there are going to be a lot of people losing out on this one 🙁
It always comes down to this. We’ve got SBS vigorously defending its position and garnering heaps of free promotion for its program, the mayor spouting off saying “I’m the mayor, look at me, I’m the mayor, I’m defending these voters, er,… battlers, and I’m the mayor!”, and law firms smelling blood in the water and offering to not charge people for their free publicity (unless they win any action, of course).
Meanwhile, the people at the centre of all of this, the ones who would benefit the most from some assistance, they will endure some attention for a while, most of it uncomfortable and little of it helpful, before returning to the obscurity of their previous lives, with little changed, while everyone else pats themselves on the back and moves on.
Well put.
From the security of her highly paid position, backed by the resources of a national broadcaster, Helen Kellie suggests the aggrieved residents of Struggle Street, impoverished and disenfranchised, living on welfare benefits, “seek legal advice” before they continue to defame the broadcaster and the producers. Guess what – the lawyers have showed up. This story has everything.
SBS is an impoverished organisation desperately trying to secure its future and relevance, it too could do with some free legal advice on a no win no fee basis.
No she said that to the Mayor of Blacktown Council. Who has been exploiting the show for his own political profile. How many constituents can name their council mayor? Will be a huge benefit at the next election to him and his party.
Helen Kellie’s statement was directed at the Blacktown mayor (who frankly sounds like a right knob) not the participants. He publicly accused the crew of giving participants money to buy drugs, a pretty serious allegation. He’s furiously back pedalling today … typical politician going off half-cocked.
OK Thanks everyone.
Shine are obviously doing this out of the goodness of their heart, there’s no way they would be jumping on the Struggle Street publicity train trying to get some exposure.